In the News: Warning for Tea Drinkers, Starbucks Goes Green, Teen Weight Loss Surgery & More

From this week’s headlines: Starbucks goes eco-friendly, weekly food recalls, making dinner faster and easier, and weight loss surgery for teens.

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From this week’s headlines: Starbucks ups their eco-friendly practices, more weekly food recalls, tips for creating dinner faster and weight loss surgery for teens.

Tea Drinkers Beware

If you’re a tea lover like me, you may want to read up on the findings from this new study. Although rich in antioxidants and lower in caffeine than coffee, tea contains compounds that block your body from absorbing iron -- definitely not good news since iron is the most common nutrient deficiency in the U.S. No need to ditch tea altogether, but it’s probably best to stick to 1 to 2 cups a day max.

Another Chain Goes Eco-Friendly
You won't hear me complain when major food corporations become more eco-friendly (in May we told you about McDonald’s steps towards using cage-free eggs). Now, Starbucks plans to make establishment’s more energy efficient and to prioritize recycling. No word on whether these greener practices will reduce their coffee prices. Would this make you more likely to shell out $4 for a cup of Joe?
Top Recalls of the Week

This week there is possible E.Coli in beef and salmonella in Dunkin Donut's Dunkaccino and hot chocolate drinks. A Colorado meat company recalled 380,000 pounds of steak and roasts -- don’t forget to check your freezer for the possibly tainted products. As for Dunkin’ Donuts, they stopped selling two of their popular drinks after a supplier's equipment tested positive for salmonella. And maybe it's a little off-color, but I read one of the funniest headlines about this story while researching: "America Gets the Runs on Dunkin." Ha!

Help for Beginner Home Cooks

The Canned Food Alliance recently launched Mealtime.org, a site aimed at helping us prep dinner faster and easier so we have more time to spend with loved ones at the table. The site gives step-by-step guidelines on how to makeover your kitchen -- from perking up the pantry to increasing counter space to smart shopping.

Make Your Own Baby Food & Save
I loved making baby food for each of my three kids; they all couldn’t get enough of my veal stew (pureed, of course). These moms in Pennsylvania have figured out the secret -- that creating your own baby food is cheaper, more nutritious and gives the child more meal options than the jarred stuff. Have you ever made your own?
Teenage Weight Loss Surgery for Kids?
Where I live, children under 16 aren't allowed to seek weight loss surgery, but that doesn’t stop moms from coming to my office with young teenagers close to 400 pounds and demanding bariatric surgery. I’m not a fan of promoting children's weight loss surgery. It seems that some parents just throw their hands up in defeat ("it's too tough!") without ever trying to teach their kids traditional healthy eating and exercise techniques. Do you feel that teens should be getting weight loss surgery?

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